Coated articles are known in the art for use in window applications such as insulating glass (IG) window units, vehicle windows, monolithic windows, and/or the like. In certain example instances, designers of coated articles often strive for a combination of high visible transmission, low emissivity (or low emittance), and/or low sheet resistance (Rs). High visible transmission may permit coated articles to be used in applications where these characteristics are desired such as in architectural or vehicle window applications, whereas low-emissivity (low-E), and low sheet resistance characteristics permit such coated articles to block significant amounts of IR radiation so as to reduce for example undesirable heating of vehicle or building interiors. Thus, typically, for coatings used on architectural glass to block significant amounts of IR radiation, high transmission in the visible spectrum is often desired.
The IR reflecting layer(s) in low-E coatings impact the overall coating, and in some cases the IR reflecting layer(s) is the most sensitive layer in the stack. Unfortunately, IR reflecting layers comprising silver may sometimes be subject to damage from the deposition process, subsequent atmospheric processes, heat treatment, chemical attacks, and/or because of harsh environments. In certain cases, a silver-based layer in a low-E coating may need to be protected from oxygen, from chemical attacks such as from acidic and/or alkaline solutions, thermal oxidation, corrosion, and from damage occurring because of moisture including contaminants such as oxygen, chlorine, sulfur, acids and/or bases. If the IR reflecting layer(s) in the coating is/are not sufficiently protected, the durability, visible transmission, and/or other optical characteristics of the coated article may suffer.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the there is a need for a low-E coating with improved durability and improved or substantially unchanged optical properties.
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to an improved barrier layer material comprising an Ni-inclusive ternary alloy used in connection with an IR reflecting layer comprising silver. In certain instances, the improved barrier layer material may permit the durability of the coated article to be improved. However, other example embodiments relate to an IR reflecting layer comprising a Ni-inclusive ternary alloy (e.g., nickel, chromium, and/or molybdenum). In these cases, the use of an IR reflecting layer comprising a Ni-inclusive ternary alloy may also result in a coated article having an improved chemical and/or mechanical durability.
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a method of making a coated article including a coating supported by a glass substrate. In certain example embodiments, the method comprises: disposing a dielectric layer on the glass substrate; disposing a first barrier layer comprising a Ni-inclusive ternary alloy over the dielectric layer; disposing an IR reflecting layer comprising silver over the Ni-inclusive ternary alloy; and disposing a second barrier layer comprising a Ni-inclusive ternary alloy over the IR reflecting layer, wherein the coating is used as a low-E coating.
Other example embodiments relate to a method of making a coated article, the method comprising: disposing a dielectric layer on a glass substrate; disposing a first barrier layer over the dielectric layer; disposing an IR reflecting layer comprising silver over the Ni-inclusive ternary alloy; and disposing a second barrier layer over the IR reflecting layer, wherein the coating is used as a low-E coating, wherein the first and second barrier layers comprise 54-58 wt. % Ni, 20-22.5 wt. % Cr, and 12.5-14.5 wt. % Mo.
Still further example embodiments relate to a coated article. In some cases, the coated article comprises a substrate supporting a low-E coating. The low-E coating may comprise, in order moving away from the substrate: a first dielectric layer; a first barrier layer; a first IR reflecting layer comprising silver, provided over and contacting the first barrier layer; a second barrier layer, provided over and contacting the IR reflecting layer; and a second dielectric layer provided over the second barrier layer, wherein the first and second barrier layers comprise 54-58 wt. % Ni, 20-22.5 wt. % Cr, and 12.5-14.5 wt. % Mo.
Other embodiments of this invention related to a method of making a coated article including a coating supported by a glass substrate, the method comprising: disposing a dielectric layer on the substrate; disposing a first sub-barrier layer comprising one or more of Nb, Ti, Cr, and Zr over the dielectric layer; disposing a first barrier layer comprising a Ni-inclusive alloy over and contacting the first sub-barrier layer; disposing an IR reflecting layer comprising silver over and contacting the first barrier layer comprising an Ni-inclusive alloy; disposing a second barrier layer comprising a Ni-inclusive alloy over and contacting the IR reflecting layer; and disposing a second sub-barrier layer comprising one or more of Nb, Ti, Cr, and Zr over and contacting the Ni-inclusive barrier layer.
Still further example embodiments also relate to a method of making a coated article including a coating supported by a glass substrate. In some cases, the method comprises: disposing a dielectric layer on the substrate; disposing a first sub-barrier layer comprising one or more of Nb, Ti, Cr, and Zr over the dielectric layer; disposing a first barrier layer comprising Ni, Cr, Ti, and/or Mo over and contacting the first sub-barrier layer; disposing an IR reflecting layer comprising silver over and contacting the first barrier layer comprising Ni, Cr, and/or Mo; disposing a second barrier layer comprising Ni, Cr, Ti, and/or Mo over and contacting the IR reflecting layer; and disposing a second sub-barrier layer comprising one or more of Nb, Ti, Cr, and Zr over and contacting the layer comprising Ni, Cr, Ti, and/or Mo.
Other example embodiments relate to a method of making a coated article, the method comprising: disposing a dielectric layer on a glass substrate; disposing a first barrier layer over the dielectric layer; disposing an IR reflecting layer comprising silver over and contacting the first barrier layer; disposing a second barrier layer comprising NiTi or an oxide thereof over and contacting the IR reflecting layer; disposing a third barrier layer comprising NiCr or an oxide thereof over and contacting the second barrier layer; and disposing a fourth barrier layer comprising an oxide of Sn, Ti, Cr, Nb, Zr, Mo, W, and/or Co over and contacting the third barrier layer.
Additional example embodiments relate to a coated article. The coated article comprises a low-E coating. The coating comprises: a glass substrate; a dielectric layer; a first sub-barrier layer comprising one or more of Nb, Ti, Cr, and Zr over the dielectric layer; a first barrier layer comprising Ni, Cr, Ti, and/or Mo over and contacting the first sub-barrier layer; an IR reflecting layer comprising silver over and contacting the first barrier layer comprising Ni, Cr, Ti, and/or Mo; a second barrier layer comprising Ni, Cr, Ti, and/or Mo over and contacting the IR reflecting layer; and a second sub-barrier layer comprising one or more of Nb, Ti, Cr, and Zr over and contacting the layer comprising Ni, Cr, Ti, and/or Mo.
Still another example embodiment of this invention relates to a method of making a coated article comprising a coating supported by a glass substrate, the method comprising: disposing a first dielectric layer on the substrate; disposing an IR reflecting layer comprising 54-58 wt. % Ni, 20-22.5 wt. % Cr, and 12.5-14.5 wt. % Mo over and contacting the first dielectric layer; and disposing a second dielectric layer over and contacting the IR reflecting layer.
Other examples relate to method of making a coated article comprising a coating supported by a glass substrate, the method comprising: disposing a first dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride on the substrate; disposing an IR reflecting layer comprising 54-58 wt. % Ni, 20-22.5 wt. % Cr, and 12.5-14.5 wt. % Mo over and contacting the first dielectric layer; disposing a barrier layer comprising NbZr over and contacting the IR reflecting layer; disposing a second dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride over and contacting the IR reflecting layer; and disposing an overcoat layer comprising an oxide of zirconium over and contacting the second dielectric layer.
Example embodiments of this invention also relate to a coated article comprising: a glass substrate; a first dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride on the substrate; an IR reflecting layer comprising 54-58 wt. % Ni, 20-22.5 wt. % Cr, and 12.5-14.5 wt. % Mo over and contacting the first dielectric layer; a barrier layer comprising NbZr over and contacting the IR reflecting layer; a second dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride over and contacting the IR reflecting layer; and an overcoat layer comprising an oxide of zirconium over and contacting the second dielectric layer.
Certain example embodiments also relate to coated articles and/or IG units made by one of the above-described and/or other methods.